Search - Bobbie Gentry :: Golden Classics of

Excellent compilation from unique singer/songwriter

J. Stearns | San Francisco, CA | 04/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Curb's compilation of Bobbie Gentry's music is good (see "Greatest Hits"), but for a true representation of her work, "The Golden Classics of Bobbie Gentry" has all the right elements. The first ten tracks are not all hits per se, but rather, is Gentry's full #1 album originally named after its #1 hit "Ode to Billie Joe." (Gentry's album was the only one to knock the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" off it's long 15 week run atop the Billboard 200). No doubt about it, most of the songs sound the same. Each tries to resemble to powerful affect of "Billie Joe." Some succeed, some do not. (The ones that do include "Chickisaw County Child" and "Bugs.")However, this album is a classic to treasure not only because of its musical credibility (each song is an excellent effort and a prime example of Gentry's genre) , but because of its pop-culture appeal. "Billie Joe" (the song and the album) came out at the end of the 'summer of love' in 1967, marking the end of a historical period, but the beginning of a new one.The last eight tracks are hits of Gentry's. Standout cuts include: "He Made A Woman Out of Me," "Fancy," and the best - "Apartment 21." Also included are three wonderful duets with Glen Campbell. "Morning Glory" remains their standout tune."

A country golden nugget shining brightly !!!

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 05/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Golden Classics of Bobbie Gentry is an excellent album of some of the best from Bobbie Gentry, an underrated singer and performer who deserves so much more recognition than she gets. This album has many of her fine tunes and the sound quality is wonderful. The artwork is also very nicely done.



"Mississippi Delta" starts the CD off with Bobbie singing so very well--and she never misses a beat, either! Bobbie's voice is rich, slightly deep and very vibrant; this enhances her performance even more and the musical arrangement makes great use of the percussion as Bobbie sings this one out loud and clear! "Chickasaw County Child" was a huge hit for Bobbie Gentry; I love the strings and Bobbie never sounded better--I love it! The melody works wonders for this ballad and Bobbie's excellent diction bolsters her singing very nicely. In addition, "Sunday Best" is quite a strong number that features Bobbie squarely in the spotlight--right where she belongs! Bobbie sings this with feeling and the strings are once again used very nicely in the melody.



"Papa Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You" has a strong country beat with some brass that enhances this melody; Bobbie sings this with great sensitivity and I'm quite impressed. The musical interlude is brief but very lush and I think "Papa Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You" is a major highlight of this album.



"Hurry Tuesday Child" has beautiful music to accompany Bobbie as she sings this to perfection--and beyond! Of course, there's also the incredibly famous Bobbie Gentry hit entitled "Ode To Billie Joe." "Ode To Billie Joe" is hauntingly beautiful and the story it tells is quite memorable as well. "Ode To Billie Joe" is easily my personal favorite song on this CD. "He Made A Woman Out Of Me" has a country flavor that seems mixed with a dash of soft pop rock from the `70s era; and this all works very well for this ballad. The backup female singers harmonize very well as they bolster Bobbie Gentry's delivery of this tune.



"Apartment 21" is a new song to me; but I almost instantly liked it and I think that you will, too. Bobbie Gentry delivers this with panache and her ability to handle tempo and key changes proves that she's a champ! "All I Have To Do Is Dream" is a wonderful cover of this song with a fine male backup chorus; and the CD ends nicely with Bobbie Gentry performing "Mornin' Glory." "Mornin' Glory" is a duet that you're bound to like.



Fans of Bobbie Gentry will love this album and this is also a great starter CD for newcomers to Bobbie Gentry's artistry.



Thank you, Bobbie!

"

An Excellent Collection From One of Music's Most Under-Rated

Gary F. Taylor | Biloxi, MS USA | 05/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Born in 1944, Bobbie Gentry spent her Mississippi childhood in grinding poverty before moving to California--and in 1967 she came out of nowhere to knock The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" off the top of the music charts with a simply constructed yet very powerful ballad of love, loss, and mysterious death titled "Ode to Billy Joe."



The fact that the song was such a monster hit was in some ways unfortunate: in terms of commercial success Gentry was never able to top it, and although she released several albums, enjoyed several popular singles, made numerous television appearances, and eventually evolved into a notable Las Vegas headliner, casual listeners regarded her as a "one hit wonder." The truth, however, was quite different. Gentry created a memorable body of work that continues to influence singers and songwriters to this day.



THE GOLDEN CLASSICS doesn't encompass all of Gentry's work, not by a long shot, and it focuses primarily upon her earliest work--but it gives you a very good idea of what she did, and what she did was utterly unexpected. She fused folk, blues, country, and the occasional rock and roll flourish into a personal idiom, and her subject was the joys and sorrows and observations of a poor rural girl's life.



If her style and subjects were unique, so too was her voice, for it was a mix of contradictory elements, raw yet somehow silky, sexy yet oddly detached. Then and now, the result is utterly unique. "Ode To Billy Joe" remains the song for which Gentry is best recalled, but it is only one aspect of her work. She is also quite capable of creating "Bugs," a commentary on the insects that plague the Mississippi delta, both down-home and very sly. The collection is also interesting for its inclusion of Gentry's other major hit single, "Fancy," and a sampling of her duets recorded with Glenn Campbell.



In the late 1970s Gentry walked away from the spotlight, and while most believe she presently resides in Los Angeles she has so effectively disappeared that no one can be quite certain of where she is, much less of what interests she presently pursues. Whatever the case, she was a true original, and while the songs here could use a remaster THE GOLDEN CLASSICS is an excellent point at which to begin an exploration of her work.



GFT, Amazon Reviewer"